Can-opener



(No Model.) V

' A. HUNTER.

CAN OPENER.

No. 417,032. Patented Dec; 10', 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER HUNTER, OF MUSK EGON, MICHIGAN.

CAN-OPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,032, dated December 10, 18:89. I Application filed July 20. 1889. $eria1No. 318,129. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in can-openers or devices for removing the ends of tin or other cans and similar receptacles, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, cheap, and practicable device so constructed that circular or square cans may be opened thereby with equal facility.

The invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with a handle, of specially'constructed cutters, one of which is designed for the purpose of opening a head or end of a square can, while the other is specially devised for the particular purpose of opening a round can. These two knives or cutters are placed on opposite sides of a central projection on the head of the handle.

The invention further consists in certain peculiarities in the construction, arrange ment, and combination of the several parts of the device, substantially will be hereinafter more fully described, and then particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of myimproved can-opener with all the parts in normal position. Fig. 2 is a side or edge view of the same, showing the cutter which is adapted for opening square cans. Fig. 3 is a similar side or edge view showing the cutter which is adapted for opening circular cans. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device complete.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the different figures.

A denotes the handle ot my improved canopener. It may be made in any desirable and convenient form, that form indicated in the drawings being only an example of one way in which it is preferably constructed. Near the upper end of the handle, and pref- I erably cast integral therewith, is a bar or T- shaped head a, which is properly formed to permit the easy attachment thereto of the cutting-blades. Extending beyond the head a is a projection B, which likewise forms a part of the same casting as the head and handle. This projection 13 is flattened to provide two flat faces, as shown in Fig. 3, said projection being preferably somewhat in the form of an enlarged screw-driver. Said proj ection is used as the fulcrum for the device when the straight knife is in operation cutting around the edge of a square can. In Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the broad surface or flat face of this projection is clearly shown.

D denotes the straight cutter nsedin opening square cans. This cutter is located, as shown in Fig. 1, at the right of the projection 13, the lower end of the cutter being firmly secured by the rivet d to one end of thehead a, which is properly grooved, as shown in dotted lines, to receive the end of the cutter and permit it to be properly connected there to, said end. of the cutter being also slightly tapered to correspond with the shape and size of the groove into which it fits. This groove, in connection with the tapered end of the cut-v ter and the rivet, serves to form alock whereby the cutter is securely held in place, so as to be immovable. The end of the head at this point is slightly rounded, as shown in Fig. 2.

0 represents the curved cutter, which is adapted for opening circular cans. This is located alongside of the projection B at the left side thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, said cutter being on the side of the projection opposite to where the straight cutter is located. The lower end of the curved cutter is connected to the end of the head a in a similar manner to that in which the straight cutter is connected to the opposite end of said head. The rivet 0 serves to hold the curved cutter firmly in place within the groove which is adapted to receive it. This cutter is curved laterally from end to end. (See Fig. 3.) .Its curvature may be greater or less, as desired. It is usually but a slight curvature, the object of the curved form being to more readily adapt it to cut around a circular can. The

head at the point where the lower end of the cutter C is attached thereto is provided with a projection a, integral with the casting of the head, which projection is used as a guide on the outside of the circular can when the curved cutter is being used.

Both the cutters C and D are chamfered on both sides of the inner faces, so as to form a good cutting-edge. The edges of said cutters are curved, and the cutters terminate in points. This is the preferable form of the cutters.

The operation or use of this device which I have just described in opening cans is as follows: Then the device is to be used with a circular can, the curved knife will be inserted as near the edge of the can as possible,

using the projection a as a guide on the outside of the can. The user of the device will then propel the cutter along, using the rounded part of the head as a fulcrum. \Vhen square cans are to be cut, the operator will insert the straight knife into the tin, using the central projection B as a fulcrum in this case. By the use of this straight knife and the flattened projection square cans can be cut as easily around the four corners thereof as they can along the body or side of the can. Thisis a great improvement over other devices now in use. My improved canopener therefore combines in a simple, cheap, and practical device means for opening with equal facility a round or a square can, and the device operates successfully in both instances.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a can-opener, the combination, with the handle having a head and the central projection serving as a fulcrum, of the straight knife on one side of said projection and the lateral curved knife on the other side thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a can-opener, the combination of the handle A, having a head a, one end of which is furnished with the guide-flange a',the fiattened projection B, integral with the head,

the straight knife D, secured to one end of the head, and the laterally-curved. knife secured to the opposite end of the head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER HUNTER. Witnesses:

ROBERT WEIR, D. .T. MORIARTY. 

